Airlift stops

[uhhello]

Who chooses where an aircraft stops for crew day/fuel?  Reading a lot of ignorant shit on FB by non AF trying to spin this Trump hotel in Scottland into this grand conspiracy by the White House to bolster the hotel's bottom line 5 people at a time.

[pcola]

Clearly it’s Trump who determines every stop on every airlift mission.


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[mcbush]

Typically it’s the mission planners at TACC/AMD/TDD depending on the theater and mission type. Lot more considerations go into that than the idiots on FB would think.

[LJDRVR]

Nobody who's sane is suggesting the WH is pressuring individual aircrews to make specific technical stops that might somehow benefit the POTUS.

The frustration is that our commander in chief hasn't divested himself from his business interests while serving us. It leaves him open to accusations of all type. 

Nobody expects President Trump to impoverish himself and give away his assets just for the privilege of leadership. But he should not own or control them in any way while in office.

This would be analogous to your new wing commander (Colonel House) owning a real estate sales company that had a large, two page spread in the base newspaper. He also owns a country club. Your OPS group commander buys the largest property they've got for sale and a membership in the club.

Later, you see his name on the O-6 list.

Totally legit, right?

People just want to hate on Col. House because they really liked the other candidate for Wing CC that got passed over. People had better just quit their bellyaching about Colonel House. It's all loser sour grapes. Colonel House is the best wing commander we've ever had. So what if he broke a few rules selling subordinates houses? Who gives a crap about propriety and rule of law when we're finally winning?

Also, Colonel house has amended the TAFs on your weather sequence with his black sharpie, you're good to go - no alternate!

Best get stepping to the jet and stop being a pussy about weather minimums, he knows what's best for us all.

Edited September 8, 2019 by LJDRVR

[waveshaper]

AIR FORCE STATEMENT AND FCT SHEET ON REVIEW OF SELECTION OF AIRPORTS AND LODGING
SEPTEMBER, 8, 2019

"Air Force leadership directed Air Mobility Command to review all guidance pertaining to selection of airports and lodging accommodations during international travels… While initial reviews indicate that aircrew transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures, we understand that U.S. Service members lodging at higher-end accommodations, even if within government rates, might be allowable but not advisable. Therefore, we are reviewing all associated guidance. Even when USAF aircrews follow all directives and guidance, we must still be considerate of perceptions of not being good stewards of taxpayer funds that might be created through the appearance of aircrew staying at such locations. (review will include active duty, Guard Reserve)."

"Between 2015 and 2019, AMC Total Force aircraft stopped at Prestwick a total of 936 times (*659 overnight stays), including 95 (*40) in 2015, 145 (*75) in 2016, 180 (*116) in 2017, 257 (*208) in 2018 and 259 (*220) through August 2019."

-  etc, etc etc. Long.
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000016d-136e-d988-abff-b76efb860000

Edited September 9, 2019 by waveshaper

[17D_guy]

3 minutes ago, waveshaper said:

might be allowable but not advisable.

"Hey, you guys didn't break the rules...but you broke the unwritten rules."

AKA - Go airline.

[Majestik Møøse]

Hack reporters continue to drill in to this fake scandal, and the Air Force continues to bend over and adjust to angry tweets.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/08/trump-resort-air-force-probe-1485447

My first stop in Prestwick was in 2011. Why? Mildenhall is fucking closed from 2200-0500 because the locals can’t be bothered with the jet noise that sustains their town. Also the service sucks and it takes trans a few hours to get you to the hotel. Pretty easy decision. The best part is the “investigation” by Elijah Cummings and Jamie Raskin gets its entire mandate from a poorly researched Guardian article.

https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000016d-08f8-d6ab-a97f-4afb19f90000

Edited September 9, 2019 by Majestik Møøse

[SocialD]

We know you've been flying your balls off, you're tired and your morale is in the dumps...but if you guys could start staying in shittier hotels, that would be greeeaaaaatttttt.  We know the allowable rate is $150/night but the Commander has his own unofficial official max rate of staying at the HOJOs...

 

If it's within the DOD directed rate then what's the fucking problem here?   Fuck this passive-aggressive, touchy-feely,  TDS "perception" shit.  It's either within the reg or not, if they don't like it, change the damn reg/Dodi/etc... 

 

Good stewards of the taxpayer dollars...for fucks sake.  Every time I've attempted to be a good steward and save the taxpayer money, I got bent over by finance.  They don't give a damn about being a good stewards.  

[Majestik Møøse]

Almost every hotel will release rooms at the government rate late in the game when its apparent the rooms won’t sell at the normal rate. $160 is greater than $0 and basically pays for a maid’s entire shift...

[pcola]

AIR FORCE STATEMENT AND FCT SHEET ON REVIEW OF SELECTION OF AIRPORTS AND LODGING

SEPTEMBER, 8, 2019

" While initial reviews indicate that aircrew transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures, we understand that U.S. Service members lodging at higher-end accommodations, even if within government rates, might be allowable but not advisable. Therefore, we are reviewing all associated guidance. Even when USAF aircrews follow all directives and guidance, we must still be considerate of perceptions of not being good stewards of taxpayer funds that might be created through the appearance of aircrew staying at such locations.

F

THAT

NOISE

 

Idiots

 

*edit...guess at some point along the way I lost my ability to drop F Bombs on here

 

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[jrizzell]

This is the same “outrage” that erupted over the Aircrew MAGA morale patches. It’s civilian reporters who don’t understand how the military operates. I do feel for the GS-13 who’s planning those TACC missions, they’re about to get a lot of unnecessary scrutiny. 

[SocialD]

LOL, perfect...actually nothing to see here!

It's both sad and entertaining to watch the TDS mafiosos chase their tails, trying to get Trump on every little thing.  He seems to be the one holding the laser pointer while the TDS mafia is the cat.  

[Hacker]

According to Salon:

https://www.salon.com/2019/09/09/were-starting-to-see-the-scale-of-trumps-personal-corruption-and-its-massive/

Last Friday, Politico 

reported that the House has been investigating a strange incident in which the Air Force made an unusual refueling stop at a small government-owned airport in Scotland that just happened to be next to Trump's failing golf course in Turnberry. The crew was befuddled at the order, and even more so when they ended up at Trump's pricey club, feeling out of place and without enough per-diem money to buy food and drink. It was, to say the least, unexpected.

That's some world-class "reporting".

[Scooter14]

I do feel for the GS-13 who’s planning those TACC missions, they’re about to get a lot of unnecessary scrutiny. 

The ones who have routinely put me into Mildenhall when no billeting or contract billeting exists? The ones that planned me back there 24 hours later when the winds were out of limits and then gave us an alternate that wouldn’t accept us? The ones that think taking off at 0001z and flying backside of the clock to an island destination is safe?

I wouldn’t feel too bad for them.

[gearhog]

I stayed at the Turnberry last year.  I've been stopping in Prestwick to/from deployments since 2002. We just tell the FBO when and how many people, and they make the arrangements. Last year we arrived right after a snow/ice storm that shut most of the major freeways for days. All of the hotels in Ayre (our usual location) and Glasgow were booked. The Turnberry, an hour drive away,  had enthusiastically agreed to give us the government rate. The hotel itself was absolutely incredible and the staff thanked us profusely for our service. The bartender let us sample some of the local Scotch whiskeys. It was too cold for golf, but we toured the course which was an old WWII pilot training base, and some of the old runways/taxiways still exist on the course. The hotel called in a bagpiper to play us out the door as we departed for the sandbox at 5am. It was one of the best deployment sendoffs ever. There was nothing to it other than it was the only place with rooms available at the government rate, and the FBO was proud to have found a place that they thought we would enjoy. The media and politicians are idiots.

Edited September 10, 2019 by torqued

[17D_guy]

18 hours ago, SocialD said:

If it's within the DOD directed rate then what's the fucking problem here?   Fuck this passive-aggressive, touchy-feely,  TDS "perception" shit.  It's either within the reg or not, if they don't like it, change the damn reg/Dodi/etc... 

 

Good stewards of the taxpayer dollars...for fucks sake.  Every time I've attempted to be a good steward and save the taxpayer money, I got bent over by finance.  They don't give a damn about being a good stewards.  

This was my former commander...thank the Lord he's gone. So much headache over perfectly legal rooms.

[FUSEPLUG]

19 hours ago, SocialD said:

Good stewards of the taxpayer dollars...for fucks sake.  Every time I've attempted to be a good steward and save the taxpayer money, I got bent over by finance.  They don't give a damn about being a good stewards.  

Whenever I hear this phase, I love to recount the DOZENS of times I’ve flown a completely empty C-17 across an ocean. 

[nsplayr]

Pending further investigations, the problem here almost certainly isn't what anyone in the Air Force did, it's that the President has not divested his personal financial stake in and control of numerous businesses.

While serving as President, he personally benefits from these businesses that both create the perception of corruption as well as break what I think is pretty clear language in the constitution & subsequent court cases and DOJ guidelines about the President taking money/gifts/etc. from foreign powers (i.e. emoluments). Jimmy Carter put his family peanut farm in a blind trust when he was elected, and DJT should have done the same with his businesses.

The fact that the President has made millions off of stays and events at his hotels that very likely would not have taken place were he not President is the issue - this stuff with the USAF is another (small) straw on this particular camel's back. A couple dozen airmen staying at Turnberry pales in comparison to what takes place at the President's DC hotel on a weekly basis.

[ImNotARobot]

#Trump2020. I’d fill out my ballot now if they’d let me.

[brickhistory]

12 hours ago, nsplayr said:

 

The fact that the President has made millions off of stays and events at his hotels that very likely would not have taken place were he not President is the issue - this stuff with the USAF is another (small) straw on this particular camel's back. A couple dozen airmen staying at Turnberry pales in comparison to what takes place at the President's DC hotel on a weekly basis.

Ch(Tr)ump change.

Gonna set me up one of them Global Initiatives where governments can donate direct instead of earning it one crew at a time...

[di1630]

Whenever I hear this phase, I love to recount the DOZENS of times I’ve flown a completely empty C-17 across an ocean. 

6-9 years ago I hopped on a C-5 trip space A to the Bahamas. It was supposed to be there 3x days but it got cut short after a day. I rode along and we ended up flying to North Carolina, picking up a single pallet and taking it to Travis. I was informed it was because someone saw the 3-day layover and determined it was a waste of resources. So the taxpayers spent 200x+ more in jet fuel to not waste resources on a made up task. Shitshow.


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[congressman]

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/rep-adam-kinzinger-air-force-veteran-trump-turnberry-resort

 

Check out that brilliantly written oped.

Edited September 11, 2019 by congressman

[Danny Noonin]

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/rep-adam-kinzinger-air-force-veteran-trump-turnberry-resort

 

Check out that brilliantly written oped.

What do you mean by some “preferred to pocket the extra money”?

 

Are you implying that you think you can get a room at less than the government rate and legally claim the full rate (not actual cost) and pocket the difference? Because that’s what it looks like you’re implying.

 

 

[Squawk7600]

This is the same “outrage” that erupted over the Aircrew MAGA morale patches. It’s civilian reporters who don’t understand how the military operates. I do feel for the GS-13 who’s planning those TACC missions, they’re about to get a lot of unnecessary scrutiny. 

I thought MAGA meant Make Airlift Great Again 🤷🏻‍♂️


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[congressman]

12 hours ago, Danny Noonin said:

What do you mean by some “preferred to pocket the extra money”?

 

Are you implying that you think you can get a room at less than the government rate and legally claim the full rate (not actual cost) and pocket the difference? Because that’s what it looks like you’re implying.

 

 

Uh.  No.  But it doesn’t have the free managers special at the embassy or free Hilton breakfast, so pocket extra money there, buy breakfast at trump with your own money.  We both know the rules.  Thanks for playing tho